While brainstorming about what to make for dinner yesterday, I remembered a dish that I had made once before I started my blog. I couldn't remember the exact flavors of the Chicken Portobello Lasagna but I could recall that everybody seemed to enjoy the dish. It wasn't until I sat down at the computer to post this, that I realized the repetition of my recent entrees. Chicken, mushrooms, and pasta seem to have been on my mind lately. I promise I will change things up a bit but until then, I definitely encourage you to try this lasagna. It was creamy and delicious, and of course healthy too.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Melt butter in large skillet. Add chicken, mushrooms, and garlic. Saute on medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly.
3. In a large bowl, combine soup, yogurt, salt, and pepper. Add spinach and chicken mixture. Fold in cheddar cheese.
4. Spoon 1/4 mixture into baking dish. Cover with 2 lasagna noodles. Repeat layers twice; top with remaining mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake covered for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 additional minutes until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

A healthy meal should always be balanced with lean protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables. I have found that the easiest way to provide this combination is in a pasta dish. While I love all of my tried-and-true pasta recipes, I was in the mood to experiment. I knew that there was a possibility that the results could turn out against my expectations and I would be eating a frozen meal for dinner, but I felt pretty optimistic about this creation. I feel that is pretty common to eat an appetizer as a meal, especially at a restaurant. I have done this plenty of times as restaurant portions are outrageous in size. An appetizer that is available at many restaurants is spinach artichoke dip. I tend to stay away from it at restaurants because it often contains more calories than a meal. But at home, I would definitely eat my spinach artichoke dip for dinner. Based on my recipe, I decided to create a spinach artichoke pasta dish. It would have been just as good as a vegetarian dish without chicken, but I was cooking for more than just myself and my taste-testers requested chicken. Thankfully, the dish turned out fabulous. Everybody loved the fact that it was reminiscent of the dip and I was completely satisfied with my new dish and the nutrition facts that go along with it.

1. Cook pasta until al dente (about 10 minutes). Drain.
2. Grill chicken until done. Cover to keep warm until sauce is ready.
3. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute garlic for about 1-2 minutes.
4. Add cream cheese, greek yogurt, and chicken broth. Stir until combined and reduce heat to medium-low.
5. Add the milk and parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.
6. Add hot sauce, spinach, artichokes, salt/pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir to combine.
7. Cut grilled chicken into bite-sized pieces.
8. Add chicken and pasta to sauce and toss to coat.

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook pasta as directed on package, adding spinach to the boiling water for the last minute.
3. Cook and stir chicken and basil in large nonstick skillet, spray with cooking spray, on medium-high heat for 3 minutes.
4. Stir in spaghetti sauce, garlic, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. 
5. Simmer on low heat for 3 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in cream cheese.
6. Drain pasta mixture; return to pot. Stir in chicken mixture and 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese.
7. Spoon into a 2-qt. casserole or 8-inch square baking dish. 
8. Bake 20 minutes. Top with remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake for an additional 3 minutes    or until the cheese is melted.

Coming inside for a quick break from the crashing waves and burning sun, I wanted a quick snack. No, I didn't want a bag of chips or a pack of crackers. I knew the perfect dish for my afternoon appetite, but of course I did not have even one of the ingredients at the condo. But when I have a particular recipe in mind, I don't mind if my quick break from the beach turn into an hour of errands. I decided to go to the grocery store, and like usual, instead of grabbing the necessary ingredients, I had to explore the isles as well. Yes it was just Publix, and I typically go to Publix on a daily basis, but I always find that one item in a different store that is not in my store at home.

Once back to the condo, I simply mixed all the ingredients and threw the dip in the oven for about 20 minutes. This recipe is full of flavor and is better than many spinach dip appetizers that I have tried in recipes. Best of all, it is low in fat and calories, unlike those restaurant dishes. The dip is probably best when served warm but is also extremely yummy straight out out of the fridge. The reduced-fat mayonnaise and greek yogurt replace full-fat mayo and whipping cream. The recipe also uses fat-free mozzarella and parmesan cheese, which is naturally low in fat. I placed a low carb tortilla directly on the oven rack to cook with the dip. I took it out about 5 minutes before the dip was finished baking and broke it into chip-sized bites. They were so crisp and delicious and so much healthier than tortillas chips. Fresh vegetables are also perfect for dipping.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium size bowl, stir together Parmesan cheese, yogurt, mayonnaise, and garlic.
2. Add onions, artichokes, spinach and mozzarella. Stir until blended.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes.